THE second public inquiry to decide whether a massive goods yard will be built on open land between London Colney and Park Street will begin on Tuesday November 24 and will last until Friday December 18, a meeting between the contesting parties decided this morning.

Planning inspector Andrew Mead set out the timeframe in a meeting with representatives from the district council, developer Helioslough, campaign group Strife and the Highways Agency.

He said: “The first inquiry took 26 days – I can't believe this one will run to the same time as before. If it does, there is something seriously wrong.”

He told the council it must reply to a letter from Helioslough within a week to clarify its reasons for refusal.

Helioslough's barrister Martin Kingston argued that the first inspector has already ruled against many of the council's reasons for refusal, such as ecology and noise pollution, and the authority must specify what has changed since then.

He said: “The council thinks it should be allowed to re-run the issues, but we need to know what material changes it is going to rely on.”

The council's barrister Mathew Reed wanted more time to present his case, telling Mr Mead: “We don't want to see the inquiry shoe-horned into a strict timescale which we say is too short anyway.”

He intends to present evidence from seven witnesses, partly orally and partly in writing, while Strife wants to call another seven, three experts and four residents.

The hearing will also hear evidence from the Highways Agency, MPs Anne Main and James Clappison, several residents' groups, St Albans Civic Society and Lib Dem parliamentary candidate Sandy Walkington.

Eric Roberts, of the St Albans Civic Society, said: “I was pleased the inspector said he wanted to hear evidence about the rail pathways – that is very encouraging.”

Helioslough argues that the first inspector has already over-ruled the objection that goods trains on the main London to St Albans railway line will obstruct passenger trains.

But Mr Roberts, a railway expert who spent his career with British Rail, says the recent approval of the Thameslink improvement programme is an important change that could be enough to scupper the project.

He also wants the council to press Helioslough on the issue of improvements to rail tunnels between St Albans and London needed for them to take large freight trains.

He said: “That will cost millions – Helioslough certainly won't want to pay for it and it could make the whole project uneconomic.”